


Throw Me a Bones

by hypobones



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: AU, Cute, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-27
Updated: 2013-07-27
Packaged: 2017-12-21 11:45:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/899939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hypobones/pseuds/hypobones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bones is a veterinarian. Jim has a dog.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Throw Me a Bones

It’s been a rough morning, and as far as Leonard is concerned, it’s not going to get any better. It’s the middle of Spring, which means kitten season. The walk in clinic has been inundated for weeks by frantic pet owners confused about how their beloved Sophie or Daisy managed to get pregnant and yield a half dozen kittens that they are  _unfortunately,_ they assure Leonard in apologetic voices,  _unable to take care of and have no idea what to do._ He always gets a kick out of how the pitches of their voices grow higher in a direct relationship with the ever rising curve of his disapproving eyebrow.

It’s not like the clinic and the city animal shelter associated with it aren’t prepared. The recent influx is neither surprising nor comforting; Bones wonders how so many people could be so idiotic as to think that there’s no way  _their_ cat needs to be fixed,  _their_  cat is perfect, and therefore above the laws of goddamn nature.

He’s thinking about how much he’d like to strangle that last owner ( _Our Seymore is a lady’s man, there’s nothing we can do about it! Wait, what do you mean he needs to get neutered?_ ) as he strides down the cramped hallway to the examining room for a blessedly routine, worry-free vaccination of a 13 week old puppy. 

Leonard takes a glance at the dog’s name written in loopy penmanship on the dry-erase board outside the door ( _ **Lenny!**_ ) and walks in. Christine, one of Leonard’s favorite vet techs, is leaning over and trying to help a man lift a squirming ball of yellow fur onto the examining table.

"This must be Lenny!" he says as he walks over to help Christine manage the excited puppy. The  _tap tap_  of nails clicking on the metallic surface fills the room, along with the  _thump_  of a wagging tail hitting Christine’s stomach. “If you’ll calm down for just one second darlin’, we can get the exam over with and get you back to your daddy." _  
_

It’s this part that he loves, the healing, the helping, of animals in need. He’s never been one for people; they’re too whiny, too opinionated. Animals may not be able to tell you what’s wrong, but they sure appreciate it whenever you fix it. Their owners tend to be appreciative too, but not before they complain to you for 20 minutes about _Are you sure he needs that medication? It’s a little expensive_ or  _Where did you go to school? Are you even a real doctor?_

Leonard tends to deal with the owners as little as possible. After all, that’s what vet techs are for.

So he braces himself for yet another 45 minutes of grinning through his annoyance and assuring another person that  _yes he is a real doctor goddamnit_ when he turns around to face Lenny’s owner.

He’s prepared for a face full of apprehension, doubt, and maybe a little bit of worry.

What he’s not prepared for are a pair of intensely blue eyes, sandy colored hair, and a wide smile that radiates confidence and what Leonard suspects is a perpetual excitement. 

"Hi, I’m Jim!" The man says as he extends one hand (soft, Leonard notes as he shakes it) and runs another through his hair. “And this is, yeah, this is Lenny. When I adopted him they told me in a few weeks he’d need vaccinations, so, here we are!"

Leonard can’t help grinning a little at Jim’s obviously vibrant personality as he replies, “Hi, Jim. I’m Doctor Leonard McCoy. You can uh, call me Leonard." He stumbles a little bit as he realizes the similarity between his own name and Lenny’s. “Lenny here is looking great, I’m just going to do a pretty basic, routine checkup and then we’ll get to the vaccination. It should take maybe, half an hour?"

He notices Jim’s grin falter a little bit before he says. “Yeah, sounds great. I’ll just, sit here?" He makes a motion toward the plastic chair in the corner.

"That’s perfect," Christine replies. And maybe Leonard checks out Jim’s ass as he walks over to the chair. And maybe Christine notices it and rolls her eyes, to which Leonard replies with one of his famous glares.

Leonard first clips the puppy’s toenails (said more easily than done, Lenny was extraordinarily squirmy, a trait, he notices is echoed by Jim's fidgeting in his seat), and then takes his temperature and makes sure there are no obvious problems. Once that’s done he takes a stool sample to check for worms and sends Christine off with the syringe to test.

And then it’s just Jim, Lenny, and Leonard. 

He works to clean up the area a little bit, noticing Lenny’s calmed down and has taken to laying across the examining table on his back, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. As he’s working he keeps one eye on the puppy, making sure he doesn’t decide to take a dive off the table. 

Leonard quickly becomes aware of the fact that a slightly awkward silence is creeping into the room, but before he can do anything about it Jim says, “So. Veterinarian. What made you decide to uh, get into this line of work?" Leonard’s back is to Jim, so he allows himself to grin at his stilted wording. 

"I’ve always loved animals. Since I was a boy on my father’s farm. Animals are… simpler. More thankful when you heal them. Plus I don’t really have the patience to work with people." He turns around, and raises an eyebrow. “Which sometimes makes working with the owners of pets a little frustrating, but," he shrugs, “you seem like one of the better ones."

The blush on Jim’s face doesn’t go unnoticed. Jim shifts in his seat and then says “Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself." Leonard leans down to throw a wad of paper towels into the trash under the table and feels hot breath on his neck. “Plus," Jim’s laugh fills the small room, “Lenny seems to like you." 

Leonard straightens to find the puppy on the edge of the table, as close to Leonard as possible. He’s about to offer Lenny a quick head scratch when the puppy leans back on his hind legs, places his front paws on Leonard’s shoulders, and licks a wide stripe up his face.

Lenny puts his paws back down and thumps his butt onto the table, looking up at Leonard with what he can only describe as a satisfied expression. He looks over at Jim,  _who is still laughing the little shit_ , and feels his breath catch in his throat a little over how beautiful Jim is when he laughs. His hands are clutch around his stomach, his head thrown back, offering Leonard a great view of the strong curve of his jaw and the light blond stubble that was cropping up there. 

He’s still laughing when Christine walks back in, results in hand. She looks between Leonard, Jim, and Lenny for a moment before announcing, “Stool sample’s clean. Nothing unusual." She walks over to Lenny and ruffles the light fur on his head. “Congrats Lenny, you’re worm free!"

Jim finally quiets, wiping at the tears that had pooled because of the intensity of his laughter. “That’s great!" He says a little too enthusiastically, apparently still inwardly ecstatic over Lenny’s approval of Leonard.

"So it is," Christine says and gives Leonard a look. “Well I’ve got a kitten with mites in room 2, so I’ll go ahead and get on that." She exits the room without another word.

As the door closes, Leonard raises an eyebrow at Jim. “You know, you’re kind of an actual five year old."

Instead of taking offense, Jim just shines a smile up at him. “Yeah, I actually do know." Leonard shakes his head and prepares the syringe for Lenny’s vaccination.

About 5 minutes later, he’s done. Lenny’s checked, vaccinated, cleared, and ready to go. 

Leonard’s never been so sad to have an exam end.

Jim thanks him and then clips the leash on Lenny’s collar. As he’s leaving he turns his head back toward Leonard, possibly catching him in the act of looking at his ass (again).

Jim grins. “If you’re not too averse to having coffee with an ‘actual five year old’, my number’s on the paperwork I gave you."

Leonard stares open mouthed at Jim, not really believing what he’s hearing.

Jim just looks down and keeps smiling. “And if you  _are_  averse, don’t think you’re off the hook. I’ll just get your number from one of the vet techs." He winds Lenny’s leash around his hand and looks up at Leonard.

"See you soon, Dr. McCoy."


End file.
